by Ian Marshall, Editor
Facing Hong Kong, Pyon Song Gyong, the women’s singles runner up earlier in the year in July on home soil at the 2019 ITTF Challenge Plus Pyongyang Open and on duty at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games, gave her team the perfect start in what was to prove a 3-0 win.
She accounted for Lee Ka Yee (11-9, 11-1, 11-3), before Kim Kum Yung overcame Chau Wing Sze (11-5, 11-8, 11-5) and Kim Un Song ended matters by beating Ng Wing Lam (11-6, 11-6, 6-11, 11-6). A comprehensive win against Hong Kong, it was the same margin of victory in their concluding group stage contest in opposition to Singapore’s Wong Xin Ru, Goi Rui Xuan and Pearlyn Koh Kai Xin.
Defeat but consolation for Hong Kong, sandwiched in between, with no changes to the selections, a 3-1 success was posted against Singapore; thus a place in the quarter-finals was secured. In the concluding group phase fixture, DPR Korea recorded a 3-0 win in opposition to Singapore.
First place secured in style
Otherwise, for the leading teams on initial day duty, it was first place in the group.
In the junior girls’ team event, Korea Republic, the no.4 seeds, selecting from Shin Yubin, Choi Haeeun, Lee Daeun and Ryu Hanna topped their group, as did the no.5 seeds, Chinese Taipei’s Chien Tung-Chuan, Yu Hsiu-Ting, Cai Fong-En and Tsai Yu-Chin.
Similarly, in the junior boys’ team competition, where there were also three groups in the first phase, the leading outfits enjoyed a profitable day. Selecting from Yukiya Uda, Shunsuke Togami, Kakeru Sone and Hiroto Shinozuka, Japan, the no.3 seeds, secured pole position in their group; a scenario that was the lot of the no.4 seeds, Iran’s Mohammad Mousavi Taher, Mahdi Madankan, Aliakbar Shoaritehrani and Amin Ahmadian. Not to be left out; it was the same outcome for the no.5 seeds Korea Republic, the quartet comprising Jung Seongwon, Kim Woojin, Park Gyuhyeon and Lee Gihun.
Leading outfits unbeaten
Meanwhile, in both the cadet boys’ team and cadet girls’ team events, the leading outfits ended the day unbeaten and in pole position. In the boys’ team competition, China, with Xu Hongrui, Huang Youzheng and Chen Yuanyu on duty, reserved first group place, as did Japan’s Hayate Suzuki, Rikuto Maede and Sora Matsushima.
Similarly, for the girls, China’s Chen Yi and Xu Yi clinched first place; a situation that also applied to the Korea Republic formation of Kim Naeyong, Kim Seongjin and Lee Yeonhui.
The quarter and semi-finals of all team events will be played on Tuesday 3rd September.
